Changing ways
by moomin102
Summary: Faith and Buffy have a bad break-up. Faith leaves town before college starts. What happens when she returns with a new girlfriend in tow? Pairings: Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, and the rest it complicated. Rated M for later chapters.


**AN: This is set about season 4 and it's AU in the way that 1. Faith never went nuts 2. Angel never existed and 3. Faith is Willow's best friend, Buffy is just as good a friend as Xander. So it's not that AU really.**

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><p>"Faith, keep your voice down. My mom's downstairs," Buffy scolded, eyes filled with absolute terror.<p>

Both girls stood a good distance apart in the blonde's room, Faith's anger engulfing them both.

"Why should I!" Faith yelled. "How can you say this isn't real? I love you! For fuck sake, B, I've never loved anything in my whole life but I love you!"

Buffy shakes her head violently. "No. We're not like that. I'm not gay, Faith."

"Sure seemed pretty gay for the last six months!"

Buffy's eyes glistened as tears threatened to spill, her mouth flapping open and closed. "I…but…it's n-not like that. W-we're just fooling around."

Faith scoffed and turned to the door. "I'm sick of this. I want to be with you, Buffy. Properly. Not with all this sneaky shit, and definitely not with you denying how you obviously feel." She turned the handle. "I'm accepting the place at Sunnydale U, and the apprentice job in LA. The job starts in two weeks. If you decide to grow a pair, let me know before then and I'll stay. If not…then I'm gone."

With that, the younger slayer left.

Buffy stood in shock, processing the ultimatum set to her. As she heard the front door slam shut, her legs gave way. She crumbled to the floor, staring at the spot that Faith had occupied just moments ago. Tears silently stained her face as one thought echoed in her mind; 'She's leaving me.'

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><p><strong>One Year Later<strong>

Faith sat in her apartment staring idly into space. It had been a long week for her. The body shop where she had taken her apprenticeship was closing for a few weeks for structural repairs, so she'd spent the majority of her time there, doing up car after car in an attempt to get them out before closing day.

Now that working all the hours that God sends was over she had time to relax, and she intended to do just that.

The smell of Chinese food wafted in as the front door opened and closed, snapping Faith back out of her exhausted trance.

"Hey, baby," a chirpy voice greeted as she entered the apartment.

"Hey." Faith smiled, not moving from the sofa. "You brought me takeout?"

Clattering of plates and cutlery came from the kitchen. "You deserve it. Be ready in a few."

Faith couldn't help but grin. She had never had someone who wanted to take care of her. She'd just had sex. Get some and get gone. She never wanted more until Buffy. She was ready to change for her and was shot down for it.

But now it was different. Now she truly had it all.

Faith was pulled from her thoughts by her phone ringing. One look at the caller ID meant that her smile was cemented in place.

Flicking the phone open, she spoke, "Rosenberg, hey. How's my favourite lesbo?"

A loud squeal came through the phone causing Faith to pull it away from her for a second. Then came an even giddier version of Willow's voice. "Faith, Faith, Faith! I'm getting married! Tara said yes! She said yes, Faith! How amazing is that!"

As the redhead finally came up for breath, Faith let out a chuckle. "Wow, that girl really has an effect on you." She could practically the Cheshire-cat-like grin on her friend's face. "You never told me you were popping the big Q."

Willow gave a sweet giggle, "I didn't tell anyone. It was a complete secret. I'll tell you all about it on Monday."

Confusion washed over the slayer's face as she questioned her only true friend, "What's Monday?"

"The day you get home," she stated matter-of-factly. "You're not working and your bestest buddy misses you. So you're coming to stay for a while."

Faith was as used to taking orders as Willow was to giving them, causing a moment of awkward silence before simultaneous bursts of laughter. "Wow, Red. I bet that bossy side is real appreciated in the bedroom," Faith teased, envisioning the girl's cheeks immediately burning red.

"Shut it, you," Willow mumbled before composing herself again. "Anyway, you have to be here. We're having an engagement party next Saturday."

Faith gave a heartfelt smile, one that she would never show to the redheads face. Too soft for her liking. But, admit it or not, it genuinely made Faith incredibly happy to know that her best friend had found love. "Course I'll be there. I have to meet the woman behind the magic, don't I?"

Willow sighed dreamily and Faith's eyes instinctively rolled, though it appeared to be playful. "Yeah. She's amazing, Faith. Absolutely perfect. She's just so…so…gahh, y'know?" Faith just laughed at her choice of words, having no knowledge of the feeling of 'gahh'. "Well, that's what she is," Willow continued before squealing again, "and she's all mine."

"Sure seems that way. Congratulations, Will."

Faith turned, noticing a tall brunette standing in the doorway, plates in hand, smiling as she watched the scene. Faith clearly cared a lot for the person on the other end of the line. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed the subtle glimmer in the slayer's left eye that isn't there when she talks most people. But the brunette couldn't miss it. She adored it.

Faith smiled, offering an arm out to the girl, "Hey, Red. Do you mind if I bring someone with me?" the girl placed the plates on the coffee table before taking her seat on Faith's lap, holding her tight.

"Uh…l-like a date?" Willow stammered.

Faith chuckled again, "I guess." She was met with a long silence, a result, she assumed, of shock. "So can I or not?"

"O-of course. Yeah. But…whoa."

"Cool it, girl." Faith was loving the reaction.

"Faith, you don't bring girls to 'meet the family'. Heck, you don't even date. This is pretty huge."

"I'm not the one getting hitched. We'll see you Monday." With that said, Faith hung up, not giving her friend a chance to question her on plus one. Turning, she wrapped her now free arm around a slender waist, joining the other.

"So, we're off to see your friends back home?" she said, stroking some of Faith's dark hair away from her face and leaning down for a soft kiss.

"Yeah. My friend, Willow, just got engaged. And besides, with school over and my job on hold, I think it's about time I took you to meet them," Faith replied in a surprisingly seductive tone before placing soft yet hungry kisses down her hot brunette's neck.

"Mmm. I can't wait." She tilted her head to give Faith better access, quiet sounds of appreciation escaping her. "So…where exactly is 'back home'? You've never said."

"Never had to," the slayer answered, continuing her assault of the hot flesh she had grown to crave. "A small place. Sunnydale. Not far from-" she was cut short as her girlfriend pulled away.

"Sunnydale?"

Faith sighed. "Yes I'm from the hell mouth."

"I think…I think my sister lives there."

"Poor girl."

"You might have been in school together. Buffy Summers?"

Faith froze, mouth agape and eyes fixed on the ones before her. After a moment, she manages to speak, but only three words; "Holy shit, D."

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><p><strong>AN: Btw, another AU thing, Dawn exists and is only one year younger than Buffy. :)<strong>


End file.
